Dirty Carpet Cleaning Scams Revealed

Beware of these carpet cleaning scams. Use your common sense and best judgement. If something does not sound right or feel right... stop, step back and evaluate the situation. There have been dirty tricks as long as people have been cleaning carpet. There are many scams out there, but here are four that I can think of now. Make sure to join my newsletter and I will keep you informed when I hear about new carpet cleaning tricks. Finding the right carpet cleaner is very important because the carpet cleaning service you get is only as good as the people who provide it. There are many things you should consider before hiring a firm:

Get references from your friends and industry Trade Organizations and check the recommendations given by the firm's past customers...

They should be able to provide you with a list of references and find out what they offer-if any for a guarantee. An honest carpet cleaning company should guarantee their work.

Check if there are any complaints lodged against the Carpet Cleaner in the local Govt. Consumers Office or the Bureau of Better Business.

Beware of deals which sound too good to be true- they often are! Beware of the 4 Carpet Cleaning Scams

Carpet Cleaning Scam #1: UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICE. To some degree, all of us are attracted by low price. We all want to save money. But some carpet cleaners use price as the bait for their false and misleading advertising. They offer a cheap price-usually between $4.95 and $9.95 per room. Then, once they're in you're home, they claim that your living room is equal to three rooms and your bedrooms are equal to two rooms. "20/20" did a segment on October 1, 1999. Industry expert Joe Polish stated "Cleaning can't be done for that low, and if it is, you're going to get a bad job."Carpet Cleaning Scam #2: BAIT AND SWITCH. An unethical cleaning company may say that the advertised price didn't include pre-spotting or detergent and an extra charge will apply if you want the carpet "really" cleaned. Here is how it is done: First, they "bait" you with a basic cleaning at an unbelievable low price. Then, when you call, they try to switch you to more expensive dual-process cleaning. If you don't fall for their switch and choose to go with their basic service, you'll likely receive poor workmanship using little or no detergent. I've actually seen companies that use tide in their machine to clean carpets. These companies never guarantee their work. Never use a carpet cleaning company without a firm guarantee.Carpet Cleaning Scam #3: UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS - Many unscrupulous cleaners will offer the world and leave you with a piece of earth... still in your carpet. If the ad sound too good to be true, it just might be. If they are offering a lot and charging a premium, you just might be getting it, but if they are promising the world for 19.95 a room, better think twice.

Carpet Cleaning Scam #4: Selling Water - I know it sounds harsh, but many companies include extras in their ad that they never intend on giving you, just to get the job. They might even try to up sell you in the house saying the ad only covers a booster and you need the full treatment, or you need a different product because...any excuse -you pick it. Even worse, they could say they added a treatment to your carpet and never did. You could mistakenly think they added a protective finish, or allergy treatments, when they never did. Be careful, read my hire a professional page, and ask for referrals when choosing a company.

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